Frederick a



Patented Sept. 20, |898. F. A. HEAD T. L. HEGESTER.

CULTIVATOR.

v (Application tiled Dec. 27, 1897.)

( N o M o d el UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

'FREDERICK A. HEAD AND THOMAS LYLE REGESTER, OF ROOK ISLAND, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO THE ROOK ISLAND PLOW COMPANY, OF

SAME PLACE.

CU LTIVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,036, dated September 20, 1898. Application tiled December 27, 1897. l Serial No. 663,561. (No model.)

To tu whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, FREDERICK A. HEAD and THOMAS LYLE REeEsTER, citizens of thev United States, residing at Rock Island, in the county of Rock Island, in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cultivators, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specication.

Our invention relates to certain improvements in the well-known class of cultivators in which each shovel beam or rig carries a vertical mast which is connected to a movable support upon the main frame of the machine and cooperates with a lifting-spring, which latter serves to aid in lifting the shovelrig from contact with the ground and sup-A porting it in elevated position.

Ourinvention has been designed more particularly as an improvement upon the cultivator shown and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 579,936, granted Lewis E. Vaterman March 30, 1897, to which patent reference may be made for a more detailed explanation ot' such machine than will be here required for an understanding of our invention; but our improvements are also applicable to other cultivators of the general` class above referred to, and will be under-k stood from the description of them herein' ymitting their rear ends to rise and fall and after given.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a rear view of a cultivator similar to that shown in said patent embodying our improvements and showing the left-hand shovel-rig in elevated position; Fig. 2, a side View thereof with both shovel-rigs in lower position; and Fig. 3a detail view illustrating our improvements in connection with the left-hand shovelrig, with the latter in elevated position, as in Fig. 1.

The same letters of reference are used to indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

It will be a sufficient descriptionofthe general construction of the machine to say that the main draft-frame is composed of the two side bars A A, of the shape shown, and secured at their forward ends to the opposite sides of the pole B, and the cross-bar C, secured at its middle to the rear end of the pole B and at its opposite ends to the under side of the side bars A A."

Secured to thepole B in front of the crossbar O, by means of a vertical pivot-bolt, is the doubletree or evener D, to whose opposite downwardly-bent ends are hung the singletrees E E.

The wheels F F are mounted upon crankshaped axles G G, which are rigidly secured at their upper ends to the main cross-axle I-I, which latter is secured at its opposite ends in supports upon the under sides of the side bars A A of the main frame, Fig. 2.

The drivers seat I is suspended between the opposite rear ends of the side bars A A by a metal strip J, whose opposite endsare adjustable upon the side bars A A, both-to raise and lower the seat and to shift it forward onbackward.

The shovel-frames K in the present instance of the shape shown and each carrying a gang of three shovels L (these frames and-their lgangs of shovels constituting what we have kunder side of the main frame,-this connection ofthe shovel-rigs with'the main frame perextending mast P, which is also additionally supported by a brace Q, connecting it with the shovel-beam some distance forward of its lower end,`Fig. 2. Located upon each mast P, near its upper end, is a sleeve or collar R, which is vertically adjustable upon the mast and is held in its different adjusted positions in the manner and by the meanshereinafter described. Eachof these sleeves Reis connected by a bail (or separate rods) S with what is commonly called the lifting-arm T, there being two of these lifting-arms hung upon the axle H side by side, one for each mast P and shovel-rig, as seen in Figs. l and 3.

IOO

Each lifting-arm T consists of a transverse' bar hung at its opposite ends by short side arms upon the axle II and provided upon its upper and forward side with two short projecting arms a l), the former being located near its outer end and the latter near its inner end. These arms a b are provided with eyes in which iit and are secured the lower forward ends of the divergent arms of the bail S.

The outer end of each of the lifting-arms T has connected to it the forward end of a strong coiled spring U, which at its rear end is connected to the adjacent side bar A ofthe main frame of the machine. Vhen the lifting-arms are thrown forward and downward, these springs are put under tension and tend to pull the arms upward and backward. Vhen the arms are swung forward and downward to horizontal position, they will lie upon the opposite side of the axle H from the springs U, and the latter, although then under their greatest tension, cannot operate to swing the arms upward and backward unless the arms are rst slightly lifted.

Each of the shovel-beams K carries a stirrup V, Fig. l, in which the driver places his feet, and each of the masts P is provided with a handle, hereinafter described,which he may grasp with his hands.

Under this construction and arrangement of parts, and assuming the sleeves or collars R upon the upper ends of the masts P to be suitably secured in iixed position upon said masts, it will be understood that when the driver presses the shovel-rigs downward into working position the masts P P will be carried downward with them, and the bails S S, connecting the mast with the respective lifting-arms T T, will swing the latter forward and downward to horizontal position, as in Fig. 2, thereby putting the springs U under tension, but also, as the lifting arms are brought upon the opposite side of `the axle H from the springs U U,substantially lookin g the parts in this working position. XV hen the driver desires to lift either of the shovelrigs from the ground, he will pull upward upon its stirrup V with his foot, and as soon as the parts have been slightly lifted the lifting-arm T, connected to the mast P, will be brought into position for its spring U to act upon it, whereupon said spring will pull the lifting-arm upward and rearward and serve to further lift the shovel-rig from contact with the ground. The upward movement of the shovel-rigs under this action of the springs U is limited by stop-arms X X, Fig. l, secured to the side arms A A of the main frame and projecting into the path of the ou ter arms a a of thelifting-arms T. It will be further undei-stood that the limit of downward movement of the shovel-rigs and their masts P P may be varied by adjusting the sleeves or collars R upward or downward upon the masts. Thus by raising the collars (or lowering the masts relatively to the collars) the limit of downward movement of the shovel-ri gs will be increased, while by lowering the collars or raising the masts relatively to them the limit of downward movement of the shovel-rigs will be decreased. In this manner the shovelrigs may be adjusted for different working positions by adjusting the sleeves or collars S upon the masts Pand securing them in adjusted position.

In the cultivators of this style which have heretofore been manufactured under the Letters Patent referred to, and of which the foregoing may be taken as a general description, the sleeves or collars R were split or separable and constituted clamps which were secured to the masts P in their different adjusted positions by means of clamping-bolts. When it was desired to change the adjustment of the shovel-rigs, it was necessary to iirst loosen these clamping bolts with a wrench, then slide the collars up or down upon the masts, and then tighten up the bolts again. The operation required the driver to stop the team,leave his seat,procure a wrench, and take considerable time in making the desired adjustment, and it is to this feature of the machine that the first of our improvements relates. That improvement consists in the provision of simple and convenient means by which the operator may at any time quickly adjust the shovel-rigs for higher or lower working position without leaving his seat upon the machine or unnecessarily stopping the team, and this we accomplish in the following manner: The sleeves R upon the upper ends of the masts P instead of being clamped to the masts iit loosely upon them and are free to slide up and down thereon. To each sleeve is pivoted the upper end of a link Y, whose lower end is pivoted to the forward end of a lever Z, fulcrumed upon the outer side of the mast P beside a rack Z', rigidly secured to the mast. The lever Z is provided with a spring-latch controlled by a handpiece Z and cooperating with the rack Z to hold the lever in its different adjusted positions. The rear ends of the levers Z, which are shaped to form suitable handles, are within convenient reach of the driver occupying the seat I, and when he desires to change the adjustment of either of the shovel-rigs he has only to grasp the corresponding lever Z and throw it upward .or downward, disengaging its latch from and reen gagin g it with the rack Z by operating the` handpiece Z. If he desires to lower the workin g position of a shovelrig, he will move the end of the lever downward, and if he desires to adjust the shovelrig to a higher workin g position he will move the end of the lever upward. In this manner and by these means the desired adjustment of the shovel-rigs may be instantly accomplished without the driver leaving his seat or necessarily stopping his team. Vhen the levers are locked to their respective racks by their latches,they constitu te handles which the driver may use (in addition to or in place of the stirrups V) for the purpose of lifting the shovel-rigs from and depressing them into working position.

While the masts P aord the most convenient location and support for the levers Z and their racks Z', it will of course be understood that our invention may not be evaded by mounting the levers and racks upon independent supports upon the shovel-beams instead of upon the masts.

The lower end of each link Y is provided with a series of holes, with one or another of which the front end of the leverZ may be connected to vary its capacity for adjustment ofthe parts in one direction or another.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the sole purpose of the link Y is to connect the lever Z with the bail S and that the sole purpose of the sleeve R is to form a support and guide for the upper end of the link Y and bail S, and such being the case it is evident that the particular construction and arrangement of the parts may be varied more or less Without departing from the essential mode of operation described.

It will also be understood that the liftingarms T and bails S, connected to the masts P of the shovel-rigs, constitute supports for said rigs when the latter are lifted from contact with the ground and likewise serve as the medium through which the liftin g-sprin gs transmit their power to the shovel-rigs to lift the latter in the manner described. In other well-known styles of cultivators belonging to the same general class which has been referred to the lifting-arms T are dispensed with and the supports'corresponding to the bails S hinged directly upon the axle H or other suitable part of the main frame, the masts being in such cases usually pivoted at their lower ends to the shovel-beams instead of being rigidly secured thereto, and the liftin g-springs being applied in such cases either directly to the masts themselves or to the su pports therefor connected to the main frame of the machine. Provision is made in many of such machines for vertical adjustment of the masts and shovel-rigs relatively to the supports connecting the masts with the main frame for the purpose of limiting the downward movement of the shovel-rigs, and thereby regulating their working positions, as desired; but t-he means heretofore employed for effecting such adjustments have been open to the same or similar objections as those above pointed out in respect to the adjusting devices in the patent referred to, and it will now be readily understood by those skilled in the art without further explanation that our improvements, by which the adjustments are effected by means of the levers carried upon the mast-s, may be readily applied without material modication to cultivators of the style last above described. In its broader scope, therefore, and as indicated by the terms of some of our claims our invention is intended to include and be applicable to such style of cultivators as well as to the particular style illustrated in the drawings.

The remaining feature of our invention relates to the provision of means for adjusting the upper ends of the masts P P toward or from each other to preserve a parallel position of the masts when the shovel-rigs are adjusted toward or from each other. As shown in Fig. 3, each of the inner arms t b of the lifting-arms T is provided with three eyes for the connection of the inner a-rm with the bail S, and it will be understood that if the end of the bail be disconnected from the middle eye, with which it is shown connected in the drawings, and be connected with the upper eye the upper end of the mast P will be tilted outward, while if it be moved forward and downward and connected with the lower eye the upper end of the mast will be pulled inward. By thus connecting the lower end of the inner arm of the bail with one or another of the three eyes in the arm h the upper end of the mast may be adjusted to correspond with the adjustment of its shovelrig and parallelism of the masts thereby preserved.

Having thus fully described our invention, We claiml. In a cultivator, the combination,with the shovel-rig and its mast, of a support connecting the mast with the frame of the machine and serving to support the mast and shovel-rig in elevated position when raised thereto, an adjustable ,connection between such support and mast, and a lever located within reach of the driver for con trolling said adjustable connection between the mast and its support, whereby the driver, by manipulating said lever, may regulate the limit of upward or downward movement of the mast and shovel-rig as desired.

2. In a cultivator, the combination,with the shovel-rig and its mast, of the support connecting the mast with the frame of the machine,an adjustable connection between such support and the mast, and a lever supported upon the shovelrig,within reach of the driver, for controlling such adjustable connection, for the purpose described.

3. In a cultivator, the combination,with the shovel-rig and its mast, of the support connecting the mastwith the frame of the machine, and an adjustable connection between said mast and support controlled by a lever upon the mast, for the purpose described.

4. In a cultivator, the combination,with the shovel-rig and its mast, of the support connecting the mast with the frame of the machine, such support having a vertically-adjustable lconnection with the mast, a lever IOO independent of such support and fulcrumed upon the mast and cooperating with a Vrack thereon, and a connection between the lever and the support connecting the mast with the frame of the machine, for the purpose described.

5. In a cultivator, the combination ,with the shovel-rig and its mast, of a sliding member mounted upon the mast, a support for the mast connected to said sliding member and to the frame of the machine, a lever fulerumed upon a support within the drivers reach, and a connection between the lever and sliding member for adjusting the latter upon the mast, for the purpose described.

6. In a eultivator, the combination,with the shovel-beam K and its mast P, the sliding member R upon ldie mast P, the support S connected at its upper end to the member R and having a connection at its lower end with the frame of the machine, the rack Z fixed upon the mast P, the lever Z fulcrumed upon the mast and cooperating with the rack, and the link T connecting the lever Z with the member R, for the purpose described.

7. In a cultivator, the combination,with the shovel-rig and its mast, and the lifting-arm and its spring, of an adjustable connection between the lifting-arm and mast controlled by a lever pivotally supported upon the shovel-rig within the drivers reach, for the purpose described.

8. In a cultivator, the combination, with the shovel-rig and its mast, and the lifting-arm and its spring, of a rack fixed upon the mast, alever fulcrumed upon the mast and coperating with the rack, and an adjustable connection between the mast and lifting-arm controlled by the lever on the mast, for the purpose described.

9. In a cultivator, the combinatiomwith the shovel-rig and its mast, and the lifting-arm and its spring, of a sliding member mounted upon the mast and connected with the liftingarm, a lever fulcrumed upon the mast and connected with the slidingmember,and means for holding the lever in different adj usted positions, for the purpose described.

l0. In a cultivator, the combination, with the shovel-rig and its mast, and the liftingarm and its spring, of a sliding member mounted upon the mast, a rack fixed upon the mast, a lever fulcrumed on the mast and coperating with the rack, a link connecting the lever with the sliding member on the mast, and a connection between the sliding member and the liftingarm, for the purpose described.

11. The combination, with the shovel-rig and its mast P, and the lifting-arm and its spring U, of the rack Z rigidly secured to the mast P, the lever Z fulcrumed upon the mast and provided with a latch cooperating with the rack Z', the link Y pivoted at its lower end to the lever Z, a connection between the upper end of the link Y and the lifting-arm T, and a suitable guide upon the mast P forsupporting and guiding the upper end of the link Y, for the purpose described.

l2. The combination, with the shovel-rig and its mast P, and the lifting-arm T and its spring U, of the slide R mounted upon the mast P, the bail S connecting said slide with the lifting-arm T, the lever Z fulcrumed upon the mast P and provided with a latch coperating with the rack Z fixed to the mast, and the link Y connecting the lever Z with the slide R, for the purpose described.

13. In a cultivator, the combination of the shovel-rig laterally adjustable upon the main frame at its forward end, the mast carried by the shovel-rig, and the support for the mast connected at its upper end to the mast and at its lower end having an adjustable connection with the frame of the machine by which the support may be adjusted to throw the upper end of the mast inward or outward for the purpose of accommodating the mast to the lateral adjustments of the forward end of the shovel-rig.

14. The combination, with the shovel-rig K laterally adjustable at its forward end, and its mast P, of the lifting-arm T provided with the two projecting arms a, b, the latter having a plurality of connecting-eyes, and the rod S connected at its upper end to the mast P and having the lower end of its inner arm connected to the arm b and adjustable from one connecting-eye to another thereof, for the purpose described. f

FREDERICK A. HEAD. THOMAS LYLE REGESTER. lYitnesses:

WILL Il. Ilnnr'r, WM. H. BAUMANN. 

